Deadline: 3-Apr-23
The 2023 Youth Innovation Challenge, hosted by the Commission for Environmental Cooperation, invites North American youth, ages 18 to 30, to propose innovative solutions that address and respond to critical issues related to water.
This year’s challenge, with the theme of Water Solutions for Sustainable Development, encourages dynamic and creative young leaders to participate in actions, innovation, and transformation on issues relating to water.
The 2023 Youth Innovation Challenge, hosted by the Commission for Environmental Cooperation, invites North American youth, aged 18 to 30, to propose innovative solutions that will address “an increase in the frequency of droughts, deforestation, forest fires and floods; changes in climate; the release of toxic chemicals to surface waters; the depletion of groundwater; the litter and leakage of plastics, nutrients, and emerging pollutants into the water supply” and other critical issues related to water. The 2023 challenge will also support ongoing efforts related to the United Nations’ International Decade for Action “Water for Sustainable Development” with a special focus on the intersection of water and climate change.
Possible Solutions
- Considering the broad scope of water challenges faced in North America, the CEC encourages the submission of solutions that address one or more of the following aspects:
- An increase in the frequency of droughts, deforestation, forest fires, and floods
- Changes in climate
- Release of toxic chemicals into surface waters
- Litter and leakage of plastics, nutrients, and emerging pollutants into the water supply
- The depletion of groundwater
- Priority will be given to solutions that tackle water challenges from an entrepreneurship perspective and with a focus on equity, particularly from social and economic standpoints. Solutions should preferably consider Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) and identify the number of community members or organizations who will benefit from the solution.
Benefits
- North American youth are invited to submit their solutions and compete for up to C$15,000 per country in seed funding, a chance to present their solutions to North America’s top environmental officials, and access to mentorship and networking opportunities.
Eligibility Criteria
- Participants in the CEC Youth Innovation Challenge must be 18 to 30 years old on the date they upload their solution to the Submittable platform. The solution may be uploaded by an individual or a team of submitters.
- Participants must be residents of Canada, Mexico or the United States.
- Participants must demonstrate that their innovative solution can suitably address or respond to critical issues related to water. These solutions can reflect environmental challenges relating to “an increase in the frequency of droughts, deforestation, forest fires and floods; changes in climate; the release of toxic chemicals to surface waters; the depletion of groundwater; the litter and leakage of plastics, nutrients, and emerging pollutants into the water supply”; etc.
- By submitting a solution, participants confirm that they are the sole author or have obtained written permission from all team members who contributed to developing the solution before uploading it to the Submittable platform.
- The Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) staff, Joint Public Advisory Committee (JPAC) and Traditional Ecological Knowledge Expert Group (TEKEG) members, including their immediate family members, and Youth Innovation Challenge judges or their immediate family members (siblings, children, grandchildren) are not eligible to apply.
- The Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) staff, Joint Public Advisory Committee (JPAC) members, CEC, JPAC and TEKEG immediate family members, and Youth Innovation Challenge judges or immediate family members of judges (siblings, children, grandchildren) are not eligible to enter.
- Since the Youth Innovation Challenge winner will present their project at a CEC event in North America, they strongly recommend that the participants have a valid passport at the time of their submission and be prepared to apply for required travel documents if they win.
Judging
- Solutions must address water challenges and have a direct impact on North American communities and their environment.
- Solutions must demonstrate that they actively address “an increase in the frequency of droughts, deforestation, forest fires and floods; changes in climate; the release of toxic chemicals to surface waters; the depletion of groundwater; the litter and leakage of plastics, nutrients, and emerging pollutants into the water supply”5; and other critical issues related to water.
- Solutions must demonstrate a strong impact on communities while representing a technological or social innovation with a strong case that facilitates its long-term sustainability.
- Solutions will be judged using the following criteria: impact (40%), innovation (30%), feasibility and replicability (20%) and economic value (10%).
- Solutions must have been developed by youth aged 18-30 in Canada, Mexico or the United States.
- Any submissions containing vulgarity, nudity, discrimination, violence, defamatory language or any other subject matter deemed by the CEC to be inappropriate will be disqualified and given no further consideration.
- Participants agree that the decisions of the panel of judges are final.
For more information, visit Youth Innovation Challenge.